Laboratory readiness and genomic surveillance of Covid-19 in the capital of Brazil

PLOS Glob Public Health. 2025 Jan 9;5(1):e0003289. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003289. eCollection 2025.

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the diagnostic readiness to Covid-19 and the genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. This is a retrospective, cross-sectional study, with data from: cases/deaths-Ministry of Health; RT-PCR analyses Brasília Central Public Health Laboratory (LACEN); genomics-Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID). It was found that in March 2021, with the Gamma variant was predominant, RT-PCR diagnostic tests administered by LACEN reached their peak, followed by a reduction, possibly due to the start of vaccination. New peaks were observed in September 2021 and January 2022. The average time for releasing RT-PCR results was reduced from eight days (July 2020), to around eight hours in 2023. The participation of private laboratories was evident in sequencing the SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in Brasília (n = 1,897). LACEN sequenced 50% of the samples received (571). A decrease in the incidence of cases and deaths due to Covid-19 was noted in the years 2022 to 2023, following the national trend. LACEN maintained RT-PCR diagnostic tests administered satisfactorily throughout the period. Regarding the genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2, the vast majority of samples were sequenced by private laboratories when compared to the public laboratory.

Grants and funding

This study was financed, in part, with support from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel - Brazil (CAPES) internal notice n° 006/2023, process 88887.924072/2023-00 - Financing Code 001.